On a ride from Newberry, South Carolina to a cousin’s home in Rock Hill, my efforts to scout for talk radio stations proved fruitless. It’s not that talk radio was nowhere to be found on the airwaves, but rather that every single talk radio station was discussing Social Security.
That really gives you perspective on the kind of person that listens to talk radio.
But why is everyone obsessed with Social Security? Especially in dealing with people who get denied benefits, I am increasingly disturbed that people rely on Social Security as a pension. Social Security is security in the sense that a second job helps keep you going when times are tough. But that hardly anyone, even in this awful market, has put any planning into retirement is really stupid. Hearing the tales of accomplished individuals who now live on meager budgets because of foresight failure is simply inexcusable, and for anyone who had the opportunity to save income and chose not to do it (that means you, baby boomers), I have no sympathy.
The worst are those who wail on big government and have the nerve to draw a Social Security check. Money’s money, but it’s better where your mouth is than in your pocket. That doesn’t mean Social Security shouldn’t be reformed (it’s obviously a failing system) as soon as possible, but I get the feeling that people don’t even think about how their own ideas would nearly kill them – including specific people I know who have little to no means of income other than a government check.
On the other hand, those who are truly on low income and are desperately in need of the help certainly have right to complain about being stiffed Social Security, given that they are truly eligible. I think society has failed a lot of our citizens in poverty. This is not an excuse for lack of rational capacity, however. Or gratefulness.
